After a long-awaited absence, PokerStars is bringing back the always-popular EPT London after an eight-year layoff. For 11 days, the Park Lane Hilton in posh London will host the triumphant return of the EPT London starting October 18. The £5,300 Main Event kicks off October 22. Better yet, two Platinum Passes to the 2023 PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas are up for grabs.
It has been weird to see the European Poker Tour play out the last eight years without the EPT London on the schedule. Since its inception in 2004, the EPT London was played out every fall in late September or early October. However, the popular event has been noticeably absent off the schedule the last eight years with the last one being played in 2014 when Germany's Sebastian Pauli won the EPT London and banked nearly £500K.
"We're thrilled to be heading back to London and looking forward to welcoming players from all around the world to the UK," said Cedric Billot, Head of Global Live Event Operations at PokerStars. "The EPT London has a great history with PokerStars as it was a stop on the first EPT season in 2004. With a wide schedule of events, two Platinum Passes to win, and many activities around the event, EPT London 2022 is set to attract a huge number of players, from recreational right up to high rollers."
"We're very excited the EPT is returning to London and for the Hippodrome to be playing a central part in what is certain to be a key future event in the annual poker calendar," said Kerryjane Craigie, the Hippodrome's Director of Poker. "We're gearing up for an amazing 11 days of poker and honoured once again to be partnering with Pokerstars. We will have more cash games available than ever before with 40 tables, and with special offers for all poker players this will be a memorable tournament for all."
Over the years, several noteworthy players won the EPT London and in couple instances, it turned players into household names over night. In 2004, John Shipley won the inaugural EPT London when he faded a field of 15 runners to win £525K. In 2005, British pro Mark Teltscher banked £708K for his EPT London victory. In 2006, Vicky Coren Mitchell (then it was just Vicky Coren) became the first female champion on the EPT and she went from a newspaper reporter to an overnight sensation when she faded a field of 398 runners to win £500K.
After a trio of Brits won the EPT London the first three times, Lebanon's Joseph Mouawad stepped into the winner's circle with a £611K core. Americans won in back-to-back seasons with Michael Martin winning a cool £1 million in 2008 and Aaron Gustavson shipping the 2009 EPT London for a score worth £850K. David Vamplew was the last Brit to win the EPT London with a £900K score in 2010.
In 2011, the Germans emerged as some of the top tournament payers with a young Benny Spindler winning the 2011 EPT London for £750K. Ruben Visser from the Netherlands won in 2012, followed by Sweden's Robin Ylitalo in 2013, and then another German -- Sebastian Pauli -- won the last EPT London in 2014.
With the return of the EPT London in 2022, will a British player win the big one?
The EPT London will begin on October 18 and run through October 28 at the Park Lane Hilton. All the tournaments will be hosted there, but special cash games will take place at the Hippodrome (with special shuttle busses to/from Park Lane).
The marquee event -- the EPT London Main Event -- has a £5,300 entry fee and will run from October 22 thru October 28. Satellites will be running, so you can get a shot at winning a prize package for a modest investment.
There will be two Platinum Passes to the PSPC in the Bahamas next January. All online qualifiers from PokerStars who win sats to the UKIPT London and EPT London will be able to play in a special freeroll on October 22 where the last player standing gets a coveted Platinum Pass (valued at $30,000).
There's also a special £3,000 buy-in EPT Platinum Pass Mystery Bounty event on the slate starting October 24. The last player standing in that event also gets a Platinum Pass.
There's a couple of High Rollers with the £50K Super High Roller beginning October 21, and the £10,300 High Roller on deck for October 26.
There's also a special EPT HORSE Championship on October 20, along with the £1,100 UKIPT Main Event and £440 UKIPT Mystery Bounty Cup. Head over to PokerStars Blog for a full schedule of events.
Oh, and the future is upon us. The 2022 EPT London at the Park Lane Hilton is a cashless event. You can buy into events via PokerStars client, or make deposits directly at the Hippodrome Casino.
